They carefully picked their way along the pasturized fields and farmland paths, relishing the change of temperature to a cozy warmth. Anri had to be careful they avoided patrols wearing the lord's colors. Less attention and questions asked the better.

  Fortunately, the way acrossed the border and into the Ansburg's region was a relatively smooth run. Although Elana was having problems sleeping, which was expected given what she had been through. They were the only ones to survive the Ash Hills collapse. A tragic failure that he never wanted to repeat. Dorian was right. He had been a stupid butterfly and people couldn't be saved. That lesson learned was too costly.

  Dorian suggested they find a place to camp when he saw the orangy-azure shade of blue streaked across the sky. They found quaint abandoned ruins of sandstone, which still carried the shape of the villa it used to be.

  Elana found interest in chasing colorful butterflies near the cluster of tall trees. Seeing her childlike play and laughing made Anri feel warm in his heart.

  "Isn't this wonderful, we're in a ruined villa of some decrepit vineyard: you'd think there'd still be a bottle of shiraz lying discarded among the broken glasses." Dorian offhandedly commented as he cleared the undercover, dry area with his magic and then laid out their bedrolls.

  "We did seem to find a lot of Grey Warden-labeled bottles of hard spirits buried in barrels during our Inquisition travels." Anri smiled as he stirred their campfire to make it burn with a healthy fire.

  Elana was having so much fun playing with the butterflies in the nearby tree. She kept climbing the tree, following the insects plight. But she climbed too high and lost her footing, falling toward the farm fields below.

  "Vishante kaffas! This girl is too much of a daredevil. She's going to give me a heart attack." Dorian cursed and grumbled when he used his magic to stop her fall midair and gently carry her back to safety to land next to Anri.

  "Again! Again!"

  Anri laughed as Elana rushed up to Dorian and eagerly pleaded for another ride.

  "I think you brought along a mini version of you." Dorian groaned. "Now I have two stupid butterflies fluttering around me."

  "It's getting late Elana, we should sleep," Anri said to save Dorian from the trouble.

  Elana's expression changed to fear then defiance. She sat on her bedroll but with her arms firmly crossed across her chest and her face set with a serious pout, like she was doing a protest.

  Anri sighed, feeling the weight of worry for her. Ever since they had left Hasmal, she had problems sleeping. She would wake up screaming and in a sweat. Dorian was able to soothe her with healing magic, but it was only a temporary measure. Every night, her abrupt waking was getting worse.

  Elana mentioned an awful, scratchy tune in her head and it hurt. Anri was scared she still had the corruption within her and she was experiencing something of a calling.

  "Elana, dear, drink this." Dorian calmly sat next to her and administered a potion, which she drank unquestionably.

  He went stiff, unsure of how to respond when she snuggled up next to him and rested her head on his lap. His tension eased when he saw she was falling asleep. The need to keep her safe welled within him: he gently stroked her hair and began to hum a soothing song, one his nannies used to sing to him when he was a frightened boy.

  Anri quietly approached them and sat next to her. "She's asleep."

  Dorian frowned and pressed a finger to his lips. The men smiled as they watched her enter a deep sleep.

  Carefully, Dorian moved her to her bedroll and tucked her in. They sighed when she curled up under her blanket and remained fast asleep.

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  "I'm worried the corruption is still in her." Anri fretted as he chewed a nail. "Her waking fits are getting worse. Almost like she's going through the Calling."

  Dorian nodded and sat next to her to keep watch.

  Anri huddled next to him and rested his head on his shoulder. "I don't want to fail her like I did with the others."

  "If you don't repeat the mistake, you won't." Dorian didn't hide his concern when she yelped in her sleep. He cast a gentle wave of healing magic over her, which had her settling again. "We have to stop the Venatori."

  Dorian and Anri slept on either side of the girl, keeping sentry. Anri felt hopeful when she hadn't woken with a nightmare. Whatever Dorian was doing to heal her seemed to be working.

  They packed up camp early before day burst through the night skies, then picked their way through more farmland and dirt roads leading toward a lush, green cluster of bushes and trees of oncoming mountain woods and forests. The trek was warm and pleasant, with many people passing them by. Fortunately, no one stopped to check who they were.

  Anri led them off-track to take more discreet paths through the woods toward Wycome. Here, Mellana rejoined them having taken a hidden route to ensure she could remain undetected from human and hunter eyes.

  Elana was enjoying her play with the hart, which allowed the men to setup their camp in a shallow cave deep within the woods.

  Anri had just finished warming a pot of stew on their open campfire when they received their first ravensky call from Dennerisan.

  "Brother."

  "How far away are you?" There was an instant tone to Dennerisan's voice.

  "Is everything okay? We should be there within the day."

  "What's going on?" Dorian soberly asked.

  "Your Viscount friend is here. We got word that Starkhaven is about to lay an assault on Wycome."

  Dorian and Anri shared a pensive look.

  "Are you sure? We haven't passed any marching armies on our way here."

  Dennerisan sighed. "Then we might have some time."

  "Wait a moment, I'm getting a press from Rector." Anri answered Rector's call and channeled it to the others to include them.

  Rector had been scouting the border closer to Starkhaven, posing as a commoner farmer. It helped that he used to be one until Anri had saved him at Redcliffe. Because he held an unassuming attractiveness with an amicable and innocent-appearing face, cropped brown hair and lean body in plain tunic and pants, no one took notice of what he truly was.

  "Rector."

  "Your..."

  "Anri, Rector."

  "Right, er, Anri, I'm seeing movement of soldiers making their way toward Ansburg roads. They're carrying the colors of Prince Vale and some minor nobles." Rector stood back from the farm fields he was working in. None of the marching foot soldiers bat an eye as he watched them carefully move past them toward other pasturized fields.

  "I'm counting about 50 foot soldiers with various lord colors, being led by a commander on horse back." Rector's spirit voice didn't hide his worry. "This isn't the same as when we marched to the Arbor Wilds, but it's enough to decimate a city like Wycome."

  "Are you serious? What's causing them to do a march?"

  "They think we're aiding Venatori extremists," Dennerisan soberly answered.

  Everyone rubbed their ears at Dorian's bitter laugh. "Let me guess, Anri associates with one Tevinter and now he's harboring maleficarum and nasty agents."

  Dennerisan sighed. "To be honest, you being by my brother's side is a high risk."

  Anri felt tension from the men's spirit voices, so he attempted to reel them back in to the subject at hand. "Rector, what else can you see from your vantage point?"

  "Just the soldiers marching, and, no, wait. The prince himself!" Rector crouched low in the rye as he saw an upright man with a golden tan, piercing blue eyes to highlight his sober expression, lending age to his otherwise angelic features. His pristine white rogue uniform and sylvanwood longbow on his back were a stark contrast to the dirt and hard-worn farmlands. The man sat on his horse, marching at the rear with a small honor guard.

  "This is getting beyond a slap on the wrist. We need to let our dear Viscount know." Dorian suggested.

  "Rector. Update Varric and Charter. We may need Cassandra's advice."

  Rector closed off his ravensky call and waited for the march to fade toward the other fields before attending to his orders.

  "We'll speed up our pace, Brother. Do what you can," Anri said to close off the call.

  The men quickly packed up camp and sprinted to match as much of Mellana's speed, who was carrying Elana. They had to reach Wycome before Sebastian Vael and his army did.